Dénes Gabler

Abstract

The political, strategical and cultural blocks in the Roman Empire functioned as economic units as well. The European provinces can be divided in two major groups: the Gaulish – Germanian provinces and the ones in the Danube valley. The economic development of these two areas differed significantly not only at certain points in time, but diverged all through the centuries of the Imperial period. The establishment of customs districts and the organisation of their administrative network played an important role in forming these economic units. Experience has provided evidence that the distribution of certain goods transported too far from their production areas can be recorded by the borders between customs districts. It can be contemplated that the markets may have been divided to facilitate the quick and efficient supply of the two main armies in Europe: namely in the Rhine region and in Illyricum. This supply could have been made possible by the clear distinction between shipments. A certain duality is apparent both in the spectrum of imported pottery and sources concerning the problem of which customs district Raetia belonged to? Some features in the composition of types within the imported material (Italian terra sigillata of the Tiberian – Claudian period, Sarius-ware, glazed Italian pottery, lamps, Raetian pottery) indicate strong economic ties with the Danubian provinces. Other ware however, reveals differences between the two areas (terra sigillata tardo-padana, thin-walled pottery, amphorae, terra sigillata produced in Westerndorf or Pfaffenhofen). This contradiction should perhaps be explained by suggesting the change in customs borders by annexion of the province. That is, a customs district may be regarded as an economic unit and as such must be taken into consideration, when the distribution of several interprovincial types of finds is discussed.